The Daily CCO: Game 6, Contreras Catching Arrieta and Other Cubs News

It’s November 1st and the Cubs are still playing baseball. Game 6 of The World Series is tonight (7:08pm CDT) in Cleveland and it will be more baseball weather than football weather for the next two days.

The Cubs trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and face a tall task in Cleveland.

Jake Arrieta is starting and the Cubs will receive a boost with Kyle Schwarber back in the lineup at designed hitter. Terry Francona is going with right-hander Josh Tomlin on short rest.

Joe Maddonsaid Monday during his conference call for Game 6 that he is a “big fan of the NL style of play” but in order to get Schwarbs in the lineup he will take the American League game right now.

The Cubs are looking to become the first team since Willie Stargell’s ‘We Are Family’ Pirates in 1979 to win games six and seven on the road to take The Series. If the Cubs are able to win Tuesday and force a Game 7, Joe Maddon’s Cubs would have a chance to become the seventh team in history to win games six and seven on the road to capture a World Series Championship.

The bottom line for the Cubs … Win Tuesday.

Willson Contreras

Contreras was behind the plate in Game 2 for Arrieta’s start at Progressive Field. The Cubs are looking for a similar, if not better, outing from Arrieta that they received six days ago. Arrieta took a no-hitter into the sixth inning after a shaky start. Arrieta gave up one run on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

The Cubs believe Contreras will control the Indians running game and will be able to settle down at the plate and hit like he did in the NLDS and NLCS.

Look for David Ross and Miguel Montero to stay in Contreras’ ear throughout the game. Contreras will have to navigate Arrieta through the biggest start of his career and produce offensively while being diplomatic with Joe West. The veteran umpire is behind the plate for Game 6.

The breather Monday should have helped Willson Contreras get back on track after he tried too hard for the three games at Wrigley.

• During his conference call Monday, Joe Maddon said he would check Tuesday with Aroldis Chapman about his availability for Game 6. Maddon is unlikely to push Chapman as far in Game 6 according to the Tribune after he threw 42 pitches in Game 5 on Sunday night. Maddon thinks Chapman could be available for two innings. The Cubs will take whatever Chapman can give them according to Maddon. With the work Jon Lester, Carl Edwards Jr. and Aroldis Chapman turned in Sunday, all of the other Cubs relievers “are fresh” and ready to go for Game 6.

• The Cubs will not host a watch party at Wrigley Field for either Game 6 or if there is a Game 7. A report from Paul Sullivan indicated otherwise Monday before the Cubs officially put an end to the speculation. Julian Green said the Cubs decided “early on not to host watch parties during postseason away games and that decision has not changed.” The Indians had watch parties at Progressive Field during the three games that were played at Wrigley and had more than 67,218 fans show up for three days.